Director of Recreation Jaime Bloch said that for the past five years, the Recreation Department has been rebuilding the Stramski Sailing Program, which is for students from any community entering grades three through seven, and wants it to be fun and inclusive for all.
Bloch said that the program’s price point makes it “affordable and accessible.” The program costs $135 to attend five sessions a week, and $110 to attend four sessions a week.
She said safety is at the forefront of the program, followed by the love of water, having fun, and learning how to sail.
Bloch said she believes in community-building and creating connections within the community.
“It’s a purposeful intention, not just the skills they are learning,” she said.
With regard to the program’s goals, Bloch said the instructors aim to keep students engaged and part of the program.
“We need to stay in touch with what their feedback is to it because we don’t want to lose them,” Bloch said.
Sailing Director Caoimhe McKiernan has been with the program for a total of four years, and the director for two of them. McKiernan took on the “rebuilding” of the program for her senior project at Marblehead High School.
McKiernan said that a typical day at the program involves checking in; playing games; a land lesson and meeting; gearing up and rigging; sailing; and finally, de-rigging, cleaning up, and more games. Each session can accommodate up to 18 children.
Nathan Megenedy and Yianni Vasiliou are rising sixth-graders who have participated in the program for three years. The boys explained that there are 11 badges to earn in the program by learning skills such as knot-tying, rigging, and docking. Megendey has earned all 11, and Vasiliou is just one behind at 10.
Both Megenedy and Vasiliou have set their ambitions on being counselors-in-training as rising eighth-graders and counselors when they are rising 10th-graders.
Vasiliou said that he would encourage beginner students by telling them there is a nice breeze.
“It’s not usually too windy,” he said. “Normally, it’s never not windy enough.”
“It’s fun, you are always doing something,” Megenedy said.
The Stramski Sailing Program opens for signups on the first Monday in February. Given its popularity, the program fills up quickly, but Bloch said there is a waitlist and cancellations can happen. Scholarships can be found through school guidance counselors if there is financial need.
